UK to Japan pwer supply issues??

I am coming to Japan in a month or so from the UK. I will be staying for a while and am bringing my shuttle PC over with me. I am looking on google to see what problems this presents and am having trouble in finding out exactly what i will need.

Is there any Brits on this forum that can help me out??

I understand that our power supply (in the UK) is 240v 50Hz whereas in Japan it is 100 ~ 110v and 50/60Hz depending where you are based. will i therefore need a step-up transformer?

any help will be appreciated


yorkii

Japan it is 100 ~ 110v and 50/60Hz depending where you are based.

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It's like that everywhere. You will need a step-up converter (probably). You can get them in pretty much any electronics store in the world... definitely in the UK or Japan. Staying in Tokyo? Just go to Akihabara. You could even buy the right extension for your power supply from you PC manufacturer. Just get a cable that can connect to a US outlet (w/o the ground prong if possible). Unless you have a really crappy machine, the power supply should be able to take 240v or 100/110v.

yorkii said:

I am coming to Japan in a month or so from the UK. I will be staying for a while and am bringing my shuttle PC over with me. I am looking on google to see what problems this presents and am having trouble in finding out exactly what i will need. Is there any Brits on this forum that can help me out ?

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Matadon's laptop question from US to Japan
Grachan's laptop question from UK to Japan
Joanna's palmtop question from Scotland to Japan

I understand that our power supply (in the UK) is 240v 50Hz whereas in Japan it is 100 ~ 110v and 50/60Hz depending where you are based. will i therefore need a step-up transformer?

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If your only concern is your shuttle PC (would that be the same as 'portable' or 'luggable' PC's which nowadays might include the classic portables, the laptops, the palmtops ?) the power adaptor should have the auto-voltage-detect-and-switch function, and hence you should have no trouble even without a step-up transformer.

However, if you have any other desktop equipment in one of those compatible PC cases with a generic power supply, then you most likely would have to find the little red voltage adjusting sliding switch from 230 to 110/100. You only need a tiny flat-blade screw driver to do that. Depending on your monitor, you might have to do the same adustment. Just make sure you've got all the seperate pieces of equip't covered before you plug anything in. Now don't hurt yourself by being in a hurry. Go slow with everything. ;-)

Your question was answered by lexico so you don't really need this particular Briton's input. Nevertheless you should specify what a 'Shuttle' PC is. I know, since they're all made in Taiwan, and are commonplace here in Japan - but only really in computer hobby shops and electric towns in the large cities.

The power switch on the reverse will toggle for use here. However, what are you planning to use for a display? Are you bringing that with you too? Even a TFT is a bulky item taking up a fair bit of luggage space. You can pick up a used 17" CRT monitor here for about 20 quid. Used 15" TFT monitors for around 50 quid (in fact I have one for sale - PM me for details). If determined to bring your existing TFT monitor it'll probably work fine - just check the voltage input on the AC adaptor.

BTW if you're going to be working in a school, on the JET program for example, then you should really go for a notebook computer. Surf at school for free. (I also sell those - new and used).

This is what im gonna bring over...

Shuttle PC's

The reason I am bringing this over and not buying a laptop in Japan is because it will be loads cheaper for me to do this.

However, what are you planning to use for a display?

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i was thinking of picking up a cheap one when i arrive in Japan.

You can pick up a used 17" CRT monitor here for about 20 quid.

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good news..!

You can buy adapters in any of Japan's numerous electronic shops (BicCamera, Sakuraya...).

If you already have an AC adapter working in 100-240V with your laptop (like most laptops have), then all you'll need is an adpater for the shape of the plug, which cost less than 200yen (1 GBP) in Tokyo.